Dave Franco and Alison Brie’s new horror, Together, was actually inspired by one of the best Star Trek movies. Directed by Michael Shanks, Together marks the latest unsettling entry in the body-horror genre, following a couple’s move to the countryside to rekindle their fractured relationship, only to find themselves encountering a mysterious force which physically and horrifically changes them.
Together currently holds an 89% Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics and audiences alike praising the Neon film’s creative approach. In fact, even horror author Stephen King has given Together a glowing review. Together has also hit a recent milestone, passing $10 million at the box office, a feat only achieved by eight of Neon’s films.
Now, in an interview with SlashFilm, Michael Shanks reveals 1996’s Star Trek: First Contact was actually a major influence on Together. Shanks explained that a rewatch made him realize Jonathan Frakes’ film was “a body horror movie.” Consequently, Shanks said its concept was “ruminating in [his] head,” and thanked Frakes for Together‘s inspiration. Check out Shanks’ statement below:
I was reflecting on one of my favorite movies of all time as a kid — and I should probably stop talking about this, because it’s not very interesting — was Star Trek: First Contact, directed by Jonathan Frakes. I love that movie. I rewatched it recently, and I was like, “Oh, this is a body horror movie.”
Maybe that’s why it’s been ruminating in my head for so long. That’s a film that begins with Captain Picard being injected, a needle into his eyeball and a spider crawls out of his face and they’re grafting human skin onto Data in this erotic way. I’m like, “Why did I watch this so much as a kid?” So yeah, thanks to the Frakes-man for the inspiration.
What The Star Trek Inspiration Means For Together
First Contact is widely regarded as one of the best Star Trek films, showcasing brilliant action, a time-travel plot, and the chilling threat of the Borg. However, few highlight how deeply Jonathan Frakes’ movie leans into horror, especially body horror, which makes Shanks’ perception quite interesting, especially considering he used it as Together‘s inspiration.
While Together isn’t a space adventure, it shares a similar sense of creeping dread, physical transformation, and loss of bodily autonomy as seen in First Contact. As a result, the subtle sci-fi horror hidden beneath the relationship drama makes Shanks’ movie a unique genre blend that feels fresh, which is why Together is quickly becoming the best horror movie of 2025.
Our Take On Together’s Star Trek Inspiration
It’s genuinely exciting to see Star Trek‘s cinematic legacy influencing a modern horror film like Together in such a creative way. Seeing how a film like Together, which is predominantly grounded in emotional realism and psychological horror, can draw from a sci-fi movie like First Contact illustrates just how layered and versatile the Star Trek franchise has always been.
Frakes’ direction and disturbing visuals clearly left a lasting impression on Shanks, and the result is a horror film that doesn’t merely rely on jump scares but instead taps into deeper existential fears. Therefore, I think if more films broadened their creative inspirations beyond their set genres, we could see some fascinating films, like Shanks’ Together, emerge.
Together
8/10
- Release Date
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July 30, 2025
- Runtime
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102 minutes
- Director
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Michael Shanks
- Writers
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Michael Shanks
- Producers
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Erik Feig, Laura Waters, Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Siân McArthur, Lia Buman, Tim Headington, Andrew Mittman, Daniel Steinman, Micah Green, Samie Kim Falvey, Max Silva, Mike Cowap, Julia Hammer, Kai Dolbashian, Neil Shah
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